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Asbury Automotive Group Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 13%: Total revenue reached $4.8 billion, up 13% from $4.2 billion. Nine-month revenue was $13.3 billion, up 5%. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income was $147.1 million, up 16%, and diluted EPS was $7.52, up 18%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $7.17, up 13%, excluding divestiture gains and other items. Source
  • Parts and service led gross profit: Parts and service revenue rose 11% to $659.4 million, and gross profit rose 15% to $389.1 million, or 48.5% of total gross profit. Parts gross margin was 59.0%. Source
  • Adjusted SG&A ratio fell: SG&A was 65.7% of gross profit, up 71 bps. Excluding non-core items, adjusted SG&A was 64.2% of gross profit, down 21 bps. Source
  • Liquidity stood at $687 million: Liquidity was $687 million, made up of $130 million of cash and floorplan offset accounts and $557 million of floorplan line and revolver availability. Cash at Total Care Auto is excluded. Source
  • Buyback of $50 million: The company bought back about 220,500 shares for $50 million in the quarter. About $226 million remained on the authorization at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Chambers acquisition integration: The Herb Chambers acquisition closed July 21, 2025, per the prior release. The quarter included $7 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, of related professional fees, excluded from adjusted results. Source

“This was an important quarter in managing our growth strategy for Asbury, marked by the expansion of Tekion to all our stores in the Baltimore-DC market and integrating the Chambers group”

David Hult, Asbury’s President and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Tekion was expanded to all stores in the Baltimore-DC market during the quarter, a development not in the prior release. Source
  • New: Dealership count reached 175 at September 30, 2025, up from 146 at June 30, 2025, after the Herb Chambers acquisition closed in July. Source
  • New: A $9 million non-cash asset impairment was recorded on a pending disposal and excluded from adjusted results. The prior release reported no asset impairment in the second quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 13%: Total revenue reached $4.8 billion, up 13% from $4.2 billion. Nine-month revenue was $13.3 billion, up 5%. Source
  • Gross profit up, margin down: Gross profit was $802.5 million, up 12%. Total gross margin fell 23 bps to 16.7% from 16.9%. Source
  • Net income and EPS rose: Net income was $147.1 million, up 16%, and diluted EPS was $7.52, up 18%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $7.17, up 13%, excluding divestiture gains and other items. Source
  • Same-store gross profit up 3%: Same-store revenue rose 5% and same-store gross profit rose 3% to $709.5 million. Same-store gross margin fell 43 bps to 16.7%. Source

Segments and brand mix

  • Dealerships led segment income: Dealerships segment operating income was $213.9 million against $192.4 million. TCA segment operating income was $19.6 million against $17.8 million. Source
  • TCA external revenue rose: Total Care Auto external revenue was $81.1 million against $77.0 million. Dealerships external revenue was $4,719.8 million against $4,159.7 million. Source
  • Luxury share of new revenue rose: Luxury brands were 32% of new vehicle revenue against 30% a year earlier, with BMW at 4% against 2%. Imports held at 41%, and domestic fell to 27% from 29%. Source

“Our results reflect the resiliency of the team.”

David Hult, Asbury’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Same-store new gross profit fell: Same-store new vehicle units rose 7%, while same-store new vehicle gross profit fell 4%. Same-store new gross profit per unit fell to $3,188 from $3,552. Source
  • Used retail units up slightly: Used vehicle retail units rose 1% to 37,696 and retail revenue rose 7%. Same-store used retail units fell 4%. Source
  • Parts and service led gross profit: Parts and service revenue rose 11% to $659.4 million, and gross profit rose 15% to $389.1 million, or 48.5% of total gross profit. Parts gross margin was 59.0%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted SG&A ratio fell: SG&A was 65.7% of gross profit, up 71 bps. Excluding non-core items, adjusted SG&A was 64.2% of gross profit, down 21 bps. Source
  • SG&A dollars rose 13%: Personnel costs were $339.0 million against $307.7 million. Other SG&A was $133.1 million against $108.4 million, and advertising was $18.7 million against $16.0 million. Source
  • F&I and used per unit rose: F&I per vehicle retailed was $2,182, up 2%, and same-store F&I was flat at $2,175. Used retail gross profit per unit was $1,631, up 9%. Source
  • Floor plan interest rose 20%: Floor plan interest expense was $26.7 million, up 20%. Other interest expense, net was $51.3 million, up 12%. Source

Demand and inventory

  • New vehicle days supply rose: New vehicle days supply was 58 days, against 49 at December 31, 2024 and 72 a year earlier. Used vehicle days supply was 35 days. Source
  • Inventory and floor plan rose: Net inventory was $2,318.9 million, up 17% from December 31, 2024. Floor plan notes payable were $2,122.0 million, up 25%. Source
  • Used-to-new ratio fell: The used-to-new ratio was 78.4% against 87.7%. The same-store ratio was 79.5% against 88.4%. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Liquidity stood at $687 million: Liquidity was $687 million, made up of $130 million of cash and floorplan offset accounts and $557 million of floorplan line and revolver availability. Cash at Total Care Auto is excluded. Source
  • Buyback of $50 million: The company bought back about 220,500 shares for $50 million in the quarter. About $226 million remained on the authorization at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash from operations for the nine months was $623.3 million against $427.0 million. Adjusted operating cash flow was $542.6 million against $487.2 million. Source
  • Cash balance declined: Cash and cash equivalents were $32.2 million at September 30, 2025, against $69.4 million at December 31, 2024. Source

Integration and portfolio changes

  • Tekion expanded to Baltimore-DC: Tekion was expanded to all stores in the Baltimore-DC market. Tekion implementation expenses were $2 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, and are excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Chambers acquisition integration: The Herb Chambers acquisition closed July 21, 2025, per the prior release. The quarter included $7 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, of related professional fees, excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Divestiture gain excluded: Net gain on divestitures was $35.7 million before tax. Adjusted net income excludes $27 million net of tax, or $1.37 per diluted share. Source
  • Nine stores divested earlier: The prior release reported nine stores divested between April 1 and July 28, 2025, as part of capital allocation and portfolio optimization efforts.

Store footprint and collision centers

  • Footprint grew to 175 dealerships: The company operated 175 new vehicle dealerships with 230 franchises at September 30, 2025. The prior release reported 146 dealerships and 189 franchises at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Collision centers rose to 39: The company also operates Total Care Auto, Powered by Landcar, a provider of service contracts, and 39 collision repair centers. The prior release reported 37 centers at June 30. Source
  • Brands rose to 36: Franchises represented 36 domestic and foreign brands of vehicles, against 31 brands at June 30, 2025 per the prior release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2025

  • Balanced capital allocation continues: Management intends to keep its capital allocation balanced while optimizing the store portfolio. The release names no dated transactions. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales (same store total revenue) Source+5%
Inventory, net Source$2,318.9 million
Days supply (new and used) Source58 days new; 35 days used
Dealerships operated Source175
Gross margin Source16.7%
Average selling price, new vehicle Source$52,609

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Tekion implementation expenses of $2 million were incurred in the quarter and excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Financial: Long-term debt rose 15% since year-end to $3,605.3 million. The company reported transaction adjusted net leverage at 3.2x at quarter end. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company describes a multi-year plan begun in late 2020 to increase revenue and profitability. The release gives no progress status against it. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.